General Dikko Restores Calm in Maiduguri

The Nigerian Army through General Dikko, Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, has restored calm at Maiduguri Airport seized for two hours on Sunday by riotous troops, which it described as ‘unscrupulous”.

In a statement today, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, Deputy Director Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole Theatre Command said the protest by the few unscrupulous troops happened while the command was conducting a redeployment of soldiers at the Maiduguri Airport, following a directive to review troops’ deployment in Maiduguri metropolis, to reinvigorate the security architecture of the city.

“The redeployment became expedient after a recent assessment of the security situation by the Theatre Command. Regrettably, however, a few of the troops who had misunderstood the development and erroneously assumed it was going to negatively affect their rotation from the theatre of operation became agitated and reacted by firing into the air.

“Calm has however been restored, as the Theatre Commander, Major General Abba Dikko, has promptly taken charge of the situation after addressing and admonishing the troops,” Nwachukwu said.

“The Theatre Command undoubtedly considers this ugly incident quite regrettable and appropriate measures are being taken to forestall a recurrence,” he added.

NAN reports that the aggrieved soldiers claimed they had overstayed and were resisting redeployment to Marte, one of the towns liberated by the military several years ago from the control of Boko Haram terrorists.

The troops barricaded some section of the airport and fired shots in the air, causing pandemonium, as hundreds of pilgrims waiting to be airlifted to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj, scampered for safety.

“Some troops of Operation Lafiya Dole were deployed and worked for over three years in the theatre and not rotated as against the directives by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.

“The command is directed to redeploy soldiers back to their bases after spending stipulated time in the theatre of operation. The Theatre Command clarified that rotation of troops is currently ongoing .